BurnMeOut
by Poppin' Roxin
Summary: Stranded in a world where danger lurks no matter where she turns, Sakura has no choice but to wander these unfamiliar lands in search of teammates, traitor or loyal. Sakura-centric. Eventual pairing; already decided. Rating may change.
1. Prologue

_I've been wanting to make this story for a long time. Luckily, playing Fallout has been giving me enough inspiration to write this~ :)_

_Anyway guys, here it is! BurnMeOut!_

_This will mainly be Sakura-centric as she wanders the Fallout world with all of her useful survival and ninja skills, looking around for her teammates who could possibly be out there, both loyal to Konoha and missing. Of course, there will be eventual pairings because you guys just know me:) And it's pretty obvious what the pairing is if you look through my stories. However, he and other characters won't be showing up until later chapters, so boo. :(_

_I've been playing Fallout: New Vegas lately, however, I will put the main setting around the vague memory I have of Fallout 3 since it has a more favorable setting to me._

_If some of you guys don't know what Fallout is, I will describe the world to the best of my abilities. You could even look up the game; it's freakin' awesome. RPG's rock, ftw._

_My other inspiration was the new band I found about: VersaEmerge. They have really awesome songs:)_

_Anyway, here I go!_

_Enjoy!_

**Date Started: **5/1/11

**Summary: **Stranded in a world where danger lurks around her mercilessly, Sakura has no choice but to wander in hopes of finding her lost teammates. Sakura-centric. Eventual pairing.

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own Fallout.**_

_**Author: CiiCiinREX.**_

_**BurnMeOut**_

_**Naruto and Fallout Crossover**_

_**Sakura-Centric**_

_**Prologue**_

Her lungs were on fire; that little detail was the first thing she noticed as she blearily snapped her orbs open, hacking as the hoarse sound echoed around her. Panting slightly, she rolled onto her side when a wave of exhaustion washed over her vulnerable form. She shivered when a breeze came in from the west, not so much from the cold but from the ominous message the wind seemed to send.

_Turn back, _was what Mother Nature whispered into her ears, the wind stroking her lush, pink locks that were now mattered with dirt. Sharping breathing in, the girl shut her eyes and gritted her teeth, aware of her limbs throbbing at that exact moment the delirious voice hissed near her ear. _Turn back before it's too late._

'_Stay away,' _The young girl shuddered as her vision focused and blurred rhythmically, making it hard for her surroundings to completely sink into her mind. In a hazed attempt of panic, she managed to bring a shaky hand to her chest and turn onto her stomach, grunting as her nails bit into the earth under her and dragging her limp body. The muscle in her right arm cried out tiredly, and the amount of energy she needed to muster up burned her out immediately. However, the looming threat of death hung over her head and her will to survive was stronger than her weak body as hand after hand yanked on roots and anything else stable in front of her, the world spinning underneath her.

_Turn back, _The voice growled, this time much more harsher while the girl nearly cried out, noting the overwhelming wet feel on her lower torso and sharp pain. Had she slipped into water when she was pulling herself along?

Breathing heavily, she lightly pat her damp clothes and brought it to her face, her vision swimming as she tried to collect her bearings. The girl gulped narrowly and noted how the ground around her body was also moist. When objects around her settled into one steady rhythm, she sucked in deeply at the sight of her pale hand smothered in murky, message-bearing crimson.

She noticed the white noise echoing in the clearing as she glanced around, finding tall, bare trees looming over her small figure, the dark bark blending in with the grey skies and dusty forest floor. Was it even a forest? There were barely any trees covering the area around her, only here and there were the large plants seen. As a sudden wave of sleepiness made her mind whirl, she scanned the floor and found all dirt and grass mixed with red.

'_No, no,' _She chanted in her mind, horrified yet fascinated at the amount of blood she had lost. Just how much did she hold inside of her petite body? _'This cannot be happening; I can't die like this, not now.'_

_TURN BACK, _She gasped when she felt sharp nails digging into her shoulder and, panicking, lashed out and hit something solid as she poured every ounce of power she had left in her fists. Nearly crying out in relief when the pressure was lifted, the young girl continued to quickly drag herself to a nearby tree, ignoring the way her legs threatened to give out when she gripped the back and yanked herself upwards and onto her feet.

Panting yet again, she scanned over her vital signs. She was nearly drained out of all of her chakra reserves, and the lower torso of her form seemed to be slashed to bloody ribbons from a sharp weapon. However, adrenaline warmed her all the way to her toes when she leant onto the tree and lifted her head. Pale, yellow eyes met her crazed, emerald orbs, and power flooded through her unlike what she had ever felt before.

_TURN BACK, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! _Death warned as it unlocked his large jaw, long jagged teeth greeting her in the form of a furious roar, its dark form stalking towards her mockingly, and she could have sworn she saw a wicked grin stretch across its crimson lips. Fists clenched, she brought them to her injury as green flared out of the corner of her eyes and the hurt dulled, her stare down with her doom never breaking off.

She took her hands off of her body before the black spots in her sight dragged her down into unconsciousness and summoned the remains of her strength to her hands. As Death leapt at her with its massive form hurtling towards her, she bellowed like a warrior as she slammed her fists into the ground.

'_I haven't gone this far just to turn back!'_

"_SHANAROOO!"_

Using up the last of her chakra, she wheezed as the world around her trembled violently at her force. She watched through half-lidded eyes as Death ironically panicked, roaring and jumping onto the flying shatters of earth in a last attempt to survive. Death's actions were, however, in vain as it shrieked with wide, pupil-less eyes, inevitably falling into a crater of its own demise.

She wasn't sure when her legs gave out, but she knew that the next thing she knew she was staring straight up into dark skies, the ominous, dark clouds stretching all across the vast space until there wasn't a window of sunlight left. Despite the overwhelming pain, the young girl smiled as darkness crept into the edge of her mind, taking her over.

'_I did it, Naruto… Kakashi-sensei… Tsunade-shisou…'_

Eyelids fluttered hazily to a close as a shadow towered over, tilting its head in curiosity at the girl.

'…_Sasuke-kun…'_

.

_I'm so happy; I've been wanting to write this story for such a long time – probably since the first release of Fallout 2 – or was it 3? X3. Doesn't matter cuz' that's a long time ago for me!_

_How was this prologue? I was so inspired to write it that I didn't stop for a while, so I hope it's good! :D_

_I would do the 'next chapter' thing, but that would probably spoil things. -_-_

_Omg, the song "Fixed at Zero" by VersaEmerge fits this chapter so well. XD_

_Please review! I'm not sure when I'll write the next chapter, but I hope that the amount of reviews demand that it's soon!_

_Til' next time!_

_~CiiCiinREX._


	2. i: ONE

_Even though most haven't been reviewing, I'm still not deterred. I will make this story, whether it be for the readers out there, or me myself. _

_But that doesn't mean it's not necessary for you to review! Be the first to review, please!_

_Playing New Vegas in between has been giving me some fuel:)_

_This is going to... very different from my other stories. Adult-like and dark._

**Date Started: **5/3/11

**Summary: **Stranded in a world where danger lurks around her mercilessly, Sakura has no choice but to wander in hopes of finding her lost teammates. Sakura-centric. Eventual pairing.

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own Fallout. I only own Aidreck, Melody, and the plot.**_

_**Author: CiiCiinREX.**_

_**WARNING: DARK, ADULT THEMES HERE AND THERE. CAN'T STAND IT, DON'T READ IT OR CRITICIZE IT. Seriously, this is your last chance. Don't like it, GET OUT NOW!**_

_**BurnMeOut**_

_**Naruto and Fallout Crossover**_

_**Sakura-Centric**_

_**Chapter 1**_

Sakura snapped her eyes open, panting as she clutched her chest tightly, the red fabric of her shirt crumpling under her grip. Shaking her head, the pinkette sighed as she leaned back. _Just a dream, _she assured herself. _It was just a dream. I probably took a nap after training._

However, as she flinched and brought her hand to her face and flicked her emerald eyes over the soaked landscape around her - part of the place around her was shattered - unwanted glimpses of her 'dream' flashed before her eyes, leaving her much more exhausted than before.

_No, no, _she chanted, leaning back as she shivered. She blinked, the world swaying like a tree branch in the strong wind, her focus yet to be sharpened like normal. _This _cannot _be happening._

For a few moments, Sakura battled against losing her sanity - even if it were for a moment - as she was forced to accept the situation she was thrust in. Okay, so she had been battling this thing she had labeled as 'Death', she used her super strength that Tsunade taught her on the floor, she collapsed onto the floor and then...? Glancing around the wasteland, she inhaled sharply, finding that her surroundings weren't familiar; in fact, from the open spaces and dreary skies that covered the plains for miles and miles to come, she found that she may be hundreds of kilometers away from Konoha, or even Suna. Blinking once again, she noted that she was leaning against a tree that had stood against her earth-shattering technique and sighed in relief, leaning back. The important part, at least, was that she was safe and sound.

Feeling an persistent itch on her face, Sakura scratched the area furiously when she felt her other hand follow her left limply. Squinting hard, she peered closely at her wrists as the night made it hard for her see a meter in front of her face - not even the stars' light could help her now as grey, stretching clouds ruled the clouds and denied its existence. As her mind numbingly recognized the reaction of her waking up, she slowly gained her senses and immediately smelled the overbearing scent of smoke and rust. Coughing off to the side, she noticed that there was a fire and wondered how she hadn't noticed the orange, blinking light in front of her first. Was she really that out of it?

Her emerald eyes travelled back to her wrists as she adapted to the somewhat lack of light, even with the fire several feet in front of her. Pulling her wrists apart, she noted how the fabric immediately rebounded and refused to give into the force, the strip long, soft yet with a strong foundation. A cloth of some sort; _A bandana, _she realized, the simple designs on the knotted material easy to pick out when the fire's life picked up for a small moment, rising high in the air enough for her to catch a brief sight for her to discern the object. Breathing in deeply, she forced herself to calm down. _You're a kunoichi, so you know that at one point or another it would have come to this; being held captive isn't something that's rare in a ninja's life._

Judging with her sharp orbs from the minimum amount of coals and dead bark on the floor next to the fire, someone had just began it probably fifteen to a half an hour ago. Hearing quick knock-like sounds in the distance, she nearly whimpered as she scooted closer to the fire, the cold of the bare land around her getting to her as another harsh breeze whipped at her matted hair. Around her, about twenty feet away from the fire, was utter darkness that shied away from the flickering light of the fire. Maybe she was being paranoid, but she could feel eyes dancing on her form, fire burning as they stared at her unwaveringly, mockingly. Hungry animals, maybe, and those she could easily fight off - if she had her hands untied.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she pushed the hushed grunts of impatience from behind her as she agilely flipped through her mind. The fire was still fresh and she was tied, which meant that a person that had recently found her decided to hold her hostage for whatever reason and wasn't that far off. There were possible enemies who would attack her once she was out of the safety from the invisible, ringed shield the small campfire provided, but she could easily dash off into the night to evade them - but the question was: where would she go off from there?

"So you finally woke up," A snarky voice pierced through the subtle stillness of the night, causing the creatures around Sakura to quiet down and the pinkette to shiver at the underlying tone of unjust intent. Panicking for a second, the bandana tied around her wrists yanked on her remaining strength as she twisted as far as she could vainly. As a dark chuckle resounded in the dark with its only response from the cackling of rotting wood, she peered into the dark when she heard footsteps and jingling simultaneously echoing. Seeing a head taking form as the figure stepped into the light, then an arm, then a leg, until the form's whole body was tangible and nearing her at a rapid pace. Biting her tongue stubbornly to snap back a retort that would get her into deeper trouble, she merely glared as the orange light danced on the person's facial features.

His malicious smile glinted, even in the dark night as his soulless eyes shimmered with delight. The man's hairstyle was eccentric, all around shaved save for the hairline down the middle of his head that was spiked dangerously into large parts, as was his apparel. A large, dark rubber strip was meshed onto his left shoulder with various straps holding them in place and a long, battered coat tied around his waist. Swallowing and eyes dilating, she noted how blood was drying on his bare skin and how he didn't even take note of the small detail as all of his attention was forced upon her sunk, still form. One long shadow followed the swing of his arms, and the Haruno noticed that the man was gripping a large sword that was also coated in a murky color. Instantly, she felt sick to her stomach and resisted the urge of hurling right there and then.

Defiantly pressing her back on the bark of the tree, her fiery gaze collided with his evil-intented one. She knew what he was doing. The atmosphere and tactic he was playing with was cliche, yet effective; it was similar to the way a predator stalked its prey. The predator would lay low in the shadows, have the prey vainly try to escape by zig-zaging in a path that was so familiar to the predator that it paved the road itself. The chase would be thrilling and amusing to the chaser as it fed on the prey's fear and pleas for a second chance while the one who was being chased had their share of overwhelming fear and overriding instinct. Like most, the prey would find themselves in the shutting jaws of the predator.

But her, prey? He could try, but he didn't know who he was messing with, especially if he was a citizen - a non-ninja. Trying to fool with a shinobi or kunoichi when one was a mere human was the equivalent of a wolf trying to lead a lion to its demise with its own teeth. Practically impossible.

"Not speaking, huh," He crouched down and grinned as the slight scent of rotting flesh, rust and smoke gently wafted into her nostril, and the pinkette couldn't help but gag at the smell. "That's alright; I like it when they're fiesty."

_What the hell is he talking about? _Gritting her teeth, Sakura tried to rip the cloth off of her wrists, and although she heard the small sound of the fabric protesting at her power, it wasn't enough. Her chakra reserves were still depleted from her earlier scuffle and the threat of giving in was still looming above her head. If anything, she would have to stall him for at least ten minutes for her to muster enough energy to rip the bonds apart and make a successful break for it.

"Strange hair color," He commented as he twirled a strand in his grimy fingers and she had the insistent urge to punch him straight in the face - both from the comment and his unwanted physical contact. "But, very exotic. How did you dye your hair? It's rare to find enough materials to create such a light, feminine color in this world, and then to soak it onto your scalp..."

He continued as she fumed silently, helplessly. _A few more minutes. _"It's interesting, really; I was wandering around when I felt the ground shake, so imagine when I found a girl unconscious on the floor next to a brutally killed Yao Guai. Those things are so damn hard to kill, even I almost died when I fought with one. And here you are, alive and well, judging by the way you're staring at me," He laughing lowly again. "What's your secret? C4? Throw all the explosives you have?"

Yao Guai? C4? What was he talking about? Puzzled, she kept her jaw locked shut.

"Still not talking, hmm..." The man thought aloud, his eyes alight with a wild gleam that sent involuntary shivers down Sakura's spine. "That doesn't matter. You're an unusual find, and I'll definitely get at least a thousand caps if I put you up in the market. Pink hair, green eyes," He gestured to her orbs though he kept his hand away as if she would lunge at him with her teeth if he tried. "Exotic and young." Grinning madly, he cricked his neck in one direction as he darkly gazed down at her, his tall figure towering hers. "I wonder if you're a virgin..."

The moment he said those words and practically ripped at her shirt, she thrashed around. "STOP!" She shouted loudly as his hands began to trailing down her lower torso, and she shivered in disgust at the way her skin crawled. Growling, she kicked her bound legs up and slammed her feet into his muscled chest, nearly crying out in triumph when he fell down like a pile of bricks, groaning. She had sharply hit his sternum, which should paralyze him for a few moments as he tried to catch his breath - enough time for her to get free and turn the tables.

Crawling on her bare stomach, she gnawed at the cloth with her own teeth, hurrying when she saw that the man had immediately sprang up on his feet from the corner of her eye seconds after he was hit. Usually, hits like that would leave even the strongest shinobi gasping for breath! Just when she had focused hard enough to successfully spot the small flicker of green energy pooling out of her hands, she was yanked by her hair and slapped across the face, but she refused to cry out in pain. Sucking on the lip with a cut forming since he had slapped her with his knuckles, she held her breath as he pulled her towards him with his black eyes burning with fury, "Bitch!" He punched her this time, nicking her nose as her cheekbone nearly crunching under his force. "I was going to be nice and gentle about it, but now I don't care anymore. Virgin or not, I'll sell you, but that doesn't mean that I can't have a little fun first."

His fingers slipped into the waistband of her pants and ripped it downwards, leaving her in her undergarments and chest bindings. "NO! STOP!"

He merely laughed at her attempts, yanking her face close to his. "Scream all you want, I made sure no _humans_ or ghouls are in the area. All we have are some hungry wild dogs and mole rats."

Her breathings sharpened and her eyes widened with horror as she continued to struggle but couldn't find the amount of chakra she had managed to tap into like last time. His hand trailed past her navel and tugging at her panty-strings. "No, no, NO!"

Shutting her eye-lids tightly, she felt him shuffle - nearly feeling his grin - and heard his comment clear through the opening, "Wow, I didn't think it was possible for someone naturally have pink hair. You even have perfectly soft, pale skin even if your hands are rough. Screw a thousand caps; I'd be swimming in caps the moment you're sold."

The rotten man shuffled above her, and she jolted when the sound of a belt being unbuckled resounded in the night. As a last resort, she wiggled her legs into another attack when he slammed his hand down on her kneecaps and forcefully squeezed. "Nice try, but that won't work on me a second time."

This was it; she was about to lose her morality as he zipped down his crotch zipper. Her eyes burned as she kept struggling, but exhaustion weighed her body down as she sluggishly shuffled on the tree bark, his dark eyes mockingly dancing in the firelight. She imagined losing her virginity to a man she loved, one who would caress her and always ask for her permission, put her comfort first, and for it to be passionate and slow. Never had she thought up of the possibility of rape by a stranger, forceful and painful. This was it, she was about to give in to a man who smiled maliciously down at her, taking advantage of her battered form -

"Well, you know what they say," Sakura stiffened at the new voice and watched the way the man's voice above her froze up, as if he had a shocking epiphany. Soft clattering and clicking was heard, and then a snap; a sound of finality. "Third time's the charm, right Aidreck?"

The pinkette stared with wide eyes as the half naked man on top of her tumbled on his side and off of her, blood spraying in mid-air and onto her pale face. Seeing an opening, she forced the little chakra she had into her hands and violently snapped the bandana tied around her wrists and kicked him off of her own body, immediately working to free her bound feet. The man, Aidreck, rolled over a ways away from her as swift footsteps came at her direction, and the kunoichi in Sakura forced her to snap her emerald eyes up and gaze at the unidentified person.

A girl with red-stained hair and a scarred face peered back at her with wide, sharp, yet not piercing, eyes. Like the man, she wore various straps, but she also wore a leather suit of armor, spikes poking out of her right shoulder with a large scrap of metal grasped tightly in her left hand. Backpack strapped to her like a duffle bag, she rushed forward, her dark pants swishing in the night - she was wearing all black, Sakura noted, which was the main reason why she wasn't able to see her at first. The girl slid to her side, slowly asking, "Are you alright? Did he do anything?"

Stunned and a little bit in shock from the chain of events, all Sakura could muster up as a response was a curt nod, followed by a negative to her second question.

The red-haired girl sighed, as if relieved. "Good."

"Fuckin' Aye," Aidreck spat at her, and the two girls whipped their heads in his direction, Sakura trembling slightly at the fresh memory of the almost-rape. The dark-eyed girl beside her bristled as he continued. "You _always _get in the way when I'm having fun. What are you doing, stalking me?" He scoffed, struggling as he tried to stand, his attention away from the pinkette at the moment.

The girl laughed sardonically in response. "You _wish _I would stalk you don't you, Aidreck? You probably dream about me holding you close and sticking by your side no matter what like what it had been years ago."

Aidreck's smug face turned rock solid. "Shut up!" He nearly snarled, glancing at Sakura. "Take my word for it; I _will _be back to claim what's mine. You only see a beauty like hers once in a lifetime." Before any of the girl could reply, he had slipped out into the night, his laughter reminding the pinkette of the jackals she would hear when she travelled in the night to Suna. There was a small moment where the silence merely thickened the tension as the unknown girl beside her clenched her fists and stared out into the darkness where that man had once been standing. The red-haired girl sighed and turned to her, and immediately Sakura's guard was up. She smiled kindly, "I'm glad I came when I did; who knows what would have happened if I just ignored this."

Sakura nodded unsurely, trembling not only because of the cold wind. "T-thank you," She muttered out.

"Oh! You probably need some new clothing," The girl rambled, swinging out her backpack, zipping it down and rifling through it. Instantly, she pulled out a simple yet large grey coat, handing it into the pinkette's now calm hands. "Here. It's cold at night in the Wasteland and you'll probably need this even in the day, so you can have it."

The Haruno stared at the piece of clothing in her hands, then up at the confused-looking girl. "Who are you?" She demanded.

"Oh, sorry," The girl smile faltered slightly at the pinkette's wording. "You can call me Melody. Who are you?" She added curiously.

Sakura hesitated. Should she tell the girl her real name? What if she was in enemy territory? Though, that didn't make any sense seeing as 'Melody' hasn't commented about her headband marking her a Konoha nin, or the fact that the red-haired girl has no hitai-ate of her own. She could be a traveller for all she knew, but that also wasn't plausible seeing as she knew that man who forced himself upon her just moments ago. Deeming her, even if it was a little, trustworthy, she announced with a hoarse tone as she slipped on the coat gratefully, "Haruno Sakura."

For a moment, Melody blinked. "Haruno's your first name? That's unusual."

"No," Sakura corrected. "Sakura's my first name, Haruno is my last."

The stained-haired girl was quiet for a moment before a switch seemed to flicker in her head. "Oh. So you're Japanese?"

Sakura shrugged, feeling very exhausted at the turn of events. "I guess."

Suddenly, her neck snapped up as a million questions sped through her mind. "Where am I?"

"Where?" Melody blinked, obviously taken aback. "The Capital Wasteland."

"Capital Wasteland?" The emerald-eyed girl echoed.

"Yeah, as in the Capital Wasteland in Washington D.C., United States of America? - or, what's left of it?"

"Where's Konoha?" Somehow, Sakura felt that she already knew the answer and shouldn't have asked the inquiry.

"Konoha? I've never heard of that place before."

Immediately, the pinkette's hopes were crushed just as soon as they bloomed when she met Melody. The red-haired girl seemed to sense the sudden negative energy Sakura was emitting as she pat her lightly on the shoulder, tentatively suggesting, "Hey, let's go to my place. I have a bed and some food and it's definitely safe. You look like you need a good nap."

And without protest or any form of recognition to show Melody she acknowledged her, she trudged along five steps behind her.

Some sleep did sound nice.

.

_Whew... done. I'm so happy :')_

_Be the first to review! I'd be even more happy:)_

_Anyway, not sure when the next chapter will come up, but I'm pretty sure it'll be in this month. xD_

_Please support me as I write this story!_

_~CiiCiinREX._


	3. ii: TWO

_Yayyy! Thank you **Wikedlovely** for being the first to review! I'm so happy:) I'm glad you took an interest in this story._

_For those who don't know what the Fallout series of games it about: you're stranded in a post-apocalyptic America where the end of the nuclear war marks another history lesson in the books, but in this world, education does not matter that much. Depending on what game you play, you have your own past and in the end wander the Wasteland for one thing or another. Fallout 3 takes place in Washington D. C. and was when you were stuck in a Vault for your own safety since birth, but you went out into the Capital Wasteland in search of something anyway. In Fallout: New Vegas, you end up in the Nevada area, shot in the head because your employer decided that your job being a courier was done. However, a robot named Victor who takes a liking to you dug you up, and you venture the Mojave Wasteland to find the man who tried to kill you. In the game, you decide who you become. Whether you be bad, good or neutral, what your preferred weapon is, what partners you can obtain and all that. It's really addicting, all of them. I highly recommend this game. They even have it for the computer. But it's rated M so if you stay away from the stuff, disregard what I just said. You level up for sneak, lockpicking, weapons, science, medicine, speech, barter, and all that good stuff:)_

_Wheww, I have a whole plot plan started, and I'm so excited to write it all out for you guys! (Well, the people I know about, like Wikedlovely, but if any others are reading this; this is for you too ;D)_

_I decided that part one of the story will take place in the Fallout 3 setting, while part two will take place in the Fallout: NV setting._

_BY THE WAY; if you guys don't wanna be surprised or disappoint or the like about the pairing I will eventually post this as, please check my profile. (It should be obvious by then what pairing it will be.) Don't hate, please._

_Well, here we go!_

**Date Started: **5/5/11

**Summary: **Stranded in a world where danger lurks around her mercilessly, Sakura has no choice but to wander in hopes of finding her lost teammates. Sakura-centric. Eventual pairing.

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own Fallout. I only own Aidreck, Melody, and the plot.**_

_**Author: CiiCiinREX.**_

_**WARNING: DARK, ADULT THEMES HERE AND THERE. CAN'T STAND IT, DON'T READ IT OR CRITICIZE IT. Seriously, this is your last chance. Don't like it, GET OUT NOW!**_

_**BurnMeOut**_

_**Naruto and Fallout Crossover**_

_**Sakura-Centric**_

_**Chapter 2**_

The moment Sakura stepped inside the small, enclosed shack that Melody called her 'home away from home', the pinkette immediately sensed the homey, warm air that was radiated out of every creek and corner of the setting. The comfortable atmosphere had the kunoichi relaxing her tense muscles that were throbbing as a fire cackled cackled in the corner of the room silently. A small hole in the roof in the shack let out the smoke that would have otherwise chocked them to death outside in the night air. With her emerald eyes drinking in the sight, she noted that another room was located in the open arch door on her left as Melody shuffled behind her.

"That's where I sleep," Melody explained, quietly shutting the subtly noisy wasteland out as she closed the door behind her, effectively locking it with a bolt. The click sent Sakura on edge as she was still jumpy from the chain of incidents, and so she flinched and defensively faced the confused girl, tripping on a tin can. Melody let out a squeak of surprise as the Haruno's body slapped onto the floor, and quick shuttering followed the sound as the sound of nails clicking against the steel floor echoed in the shack. The next thing Sakura knew, she was being smother by a big, growling form, sharp nails cutting into the coat's shoulders as loud barks of a familiar animal met her ears.

"Dogmeat!" Melody shrieked, pulling the creature on a collar by the neck scoldingly. "Down boy!"

Blinking, Sakura leapt onto her feet as quick as a ninja would, leaving Melody staring at her wide-eyed and the dog eyeing her suspiciously.

"Whoa," The stained-haired girl breathed out. "You have pretty fast reflexes. It's a wonder how Aidreck managed to get you off guard."

"I was..." Sakura trailed off, searching for the right words in her explanations. "I was unconscious. I think he said something about me fighting off a 'Yao Gooey' or something that was hard to kill, so I was probably exhausted from holding the thing off and passed out. He said he found me next to its corpse."

"You, you killed a Yao Guai?" Melody asked, staring straight at her in disbelief. "Those giants are so hard to kill that I probably wasted half the ammo in my gun just to kill _one! _Even Dogmeat here had some pretty deep wounds that I thought he would never recover from." The girl crouched down to the animal's level and pat him affectionately on the head and was awarded an affirmative yip. "We were lucky; You were lucky, as well."

Melody politely leant her hand and pulled her up, sheepishly apologizing for her companions sudden defensive personality. "How'd you find him, anyway?" Sakura inquired, staring at the dog sitting in front of the warm fire. She noted how one eye was brown and the other was blue; heterochromia iridum, a mutation probably from all the chemicals that Sakura noticed were present in the air outside. His fur seemed smooth, black and white hairs mixing together in different areas, making it look as if he had grey spots on some parts of his lean body. Dogmeat was such a strange name for such a partner, but for some reason, the pinkette believed there was more behind his name. Right now, he was gazing at her comfortably, whining as he trodded up to her, as if apologizing for his earlier behavior. The kunoichi smiled in acceptance, softly patting the furry creature as he panted ecstatically. _Smart dog; it's like he understands the basics of human emotions and manners._

The red-haired girl smiled, as if replaying the memory in her own head. "I'd been walking around in broad daylight, scavenging around for supplies, when I came across a scrapyard and heard some guys shouting and shooting. I had laid low and looked over, only to see this guy killing off at least three raiders at once. Afterwards, he ran up to me as if he were going to attack me as well, but I pulled out some food just in time. I gave him some, and he seemed to like me after that. Since then, he's always followed me, whether I want him or not, and never left my side." Dogmeat panted, jumping onto the squeaking girl as she giggled, hugging the animal in response.

Sakura smiled. "He seems so attached to you." _Now, if only my teammates were like that... _She instantly shoved the thought out of her mind.

"He just wants his dinner," Melody joked as Dogmeat snorted, interest lowered as he strolled over to a large mattress at the corner of the introductory room, circling a few times before he plopped down comfortably on the soft surface. Lying his head down on his paws, he kept his eyes open as his unusual eyes flickered around on the alert.

"Why the name 'Dogmeat'?" Sakura inquired as she followed Melody into the second room, away from the warmth of the fire - although the heat filtered throughout the whole shack. The current room they were placed in was half the size of the room that had been in before, but this one had drawers, a safe, a table complete with three chairs off to the side with a bed laid out already. Melody sauntered further into the room, sliding her fingers into a metal nook in the wall as she pushed it, the 'wall' becoming an indoor storage unit. She was struggling with a spare mattress, Sakura noticed, and she ran up to her side despite her protests and pulled it out, slapping it onto the ground.

"Umm... There was this movie I watched..." The red-haired girl muttered out thoughtfully, staring at the ground as she tried to recollect her memory. "It was called 'A Boy and His Dog', or something like that and in the beginning of the clip he called his dog 'Dogmeat'. It's a pretty old movie and hard to find and watch, but I stumbled across a movie player one day and now it's one of my favorites of all time. So, when I found him, I decided immediately I'd call him Dogmeat." She blew into her hands, probably still a little numb from going out in the night, wrapping her palms in cloth tightly. "Anyway, what's your story? Like, were you from that 'Konoha' place or something?"

Alarm bells rang in Sakura's head; should she tell her what she really was? The threat of death still loomed over her head no matter what happened, like a dangling boulder tied to a thin rope. Breathing in, she said, "Well... in my, uh, village, Konoha, we have the choice of living a simple, civilian life, or a dangerous life of fighting and possible death to protect the village. I'm... one of those people who chose to be a protector, but I can't remember anything up to when I found myself unconscious here. I was going through my daily routine of doing hospital checkups and then I went train with my shisou... and then, nothing. I do vaguely recall fighting that Yao Guai, though."

"Protector?" Melody lifted her head, interested in the pink-haired girl's violence history. Her emerald eyes and the feminine color of her hair seemed to portray a different person that was innocent and war-hating. "Training? What's it like over there, anyway?"

Sakura swallowed loudly, and she attempted to be as vague as possible in fear of betraying her own village. If she leaked out crucial information willingly, it was considered treason! But... this girl, she had saved her and was merely being curious about her past... So, she did her best to tell the truth in vague terms. "First, at a young age, you are enrolled into an Academy. From there... you are tested on your physical and mental skills based on your supervisor's limberness. If you pass, you immediately are bumped up to the level of... genin. From there on, you are assembled into a team of three complete with a teacher who helps you both in your teamwork and individually," _But now that I think about it... Kakashi-sensei never taught me anything as a one-on-one thing with your student. It was always Sasuke, and then occasionally Naruto... _She paused in thought. "There are several levels of our training: genin, chunin, jonin, ANBU. All require some sort of physical and mental exam, and you always have the price of death whenever you enter it."

"That..." Melody started. "That sounds ruthless! How old are you? Twelve? And yet you're being trained to fight and kill already?"

_Because I skipped out on most of the details, she doesn't understand the position Konoha has taken, _Sakura concluded. "It's not ruthless, it was completely my choice to become a protector of my village. And I'm fourteen."

The protesting girl slumped down, sulking a little. "Still.. that's pretty young, and they give the option for children to become killers..."

"Not killers," The pinkette corrected, sitting down on the mattress they pulled out tiredly. "Protectors."

Melody smiled at her cleverness. "I guess I'll leave you alone so you can sleep. If you need anything, just shout." Tiredly, Sakura stretched and sensed the girl saunter off towards the door, when she halted in her tracks. She peered at her frozen form quietly. "Something wrong, Melody-san?"

"San?" The red-haired girl seemed baffled. "What's that? Wait, oh. That's a suffix in Japanese... I'm glad I found those old books that taught me Japanese a while back; not only was it interesting, but now I can understand a little of what you're saying... Drop the suffix," She said, waving it off. "Though manners are nice, they won't get you far in the Wasteland. Anyway, I just had a thought, and I wanted to ask you about it."

"Shoot."

"Well, seeing as you are pretty good in fighting based on your scuffle with the Yao Guai, you must be qualified enough to have a team, right?" Melody inquired, turning towards hers as she leaned on the metal door. The latern behind Sakura and near the arching door brightly illuminated their forms as a small silence settled over them, the pinkette seeming to have an inner battle.

"Yes," She finally confirmed, the exhaustion plain on her face, though it wasn't just physical tiredness she felt at the moment. "Two boys, and a great sensei."

"Do you think that they might be here in the Wasteland like you?" Sakura jolted, hope filling her gut instantly when she found the possibility of not being alone in this world. However, chances may be slim. Kakashi could have been away doing who knows what (reading his dirty book) before she was pulled out of Konoha, Naruto was off training with Jiraiya hundreds of miles off, even thousands, while Sasuke was with Orochimaru and probably even farther. But, that unbreakable burn that someone, somewhere, she knew was out there in the same predicament as her had her determination and energy spiked up to almost healthy levels.

"That's a possibility," Sakura said, and she couldn't help the excitement slipping into her voice. She paused. "But where exactly am I, anyway?"

"Right now, we're in the Capital Wasteland," Melody began, mentally listing off the locations straight from her mind. "The country is America, state is what was once known as Maryland - I think, Washington D.C."

Capital Wasteland in America? Maryland and Washington D.C.? Just how far out was she?

_I'm pretty far if Melody doesn't know about Konoha, seeing as it is a popular village, and even farther if I can't even understand the land I'm inhabiting right now._

"I... I don't..." _Know where I am! _Sakura sighed, leaning back onto the wall tiredly.

Melody nodded solemnly, as if knowing what Sakura had meant to say. Slowly speaking, she changed the subject, "Also, what do you plan to do in the morning?"

The rosette frowned, a small part of her inwardly hoping for the girl - however eccentric she may be - to just make a hasty decision and haul her up to wherever she was going. Melody seemed like the type to socialize to others and the pinkette had thought that the red-haired girl would've clung to her in some way since she was the probably the friendliest face she had seen for who knows long. However, at the same time the more-experienced girl seemed comfortable as long as she had her canine companion near her at all times.

_Where would I go? Should I just try to gather my bearing for the time now, or go straight into searching for Naruto and the others if they're even out there? How would I survive out there by myself anyway? And those creatures, how can I defend myself against those things if I go out with the equipment I have now? _Thousands of questions whirled round and round in Sakura's mind as she sank deeper into the mattress.

"I don't know," She exhaled, sluggishly blinking at the sight of Melody's unreadable facial features. "It's still hard for me to cope with... _this -_" She waved her hand around ambiguously. "- and I have no idea what to do. Even if I go look for my team, I don't even know where to start." Feeling the frustrations build up and tighten her chest, she willed the shimmering liquid pooling on the rims of her eyes away.

If Melody noticed her sniffling, she bowed her head and said nothing. After several moments of the girls, staring at the walls or flickering their eyes to the floor, the armored girl sent the medic nin a the best smile she could - the only way she could comfort her for now.

Living in a world where her only crush/teammate that she expected to at least show some sort of love towards her and where she blew off training believing she was already strong enough before, Sakura had learned to set the lowest expectation possible so that she doesn't get hurt if the worst ever happened. Whenever she set her hopes high, they were always crushed in the cruelest way possible and left her face down with her shattered ambitions.

"You could just stay with me for now, if you want," Melody offered unsurely. Sakura snapped her head up, beaming hopefully. "Really?"

The girl paused as her eyes glazed over, staring at the pinkette seemingly in thought. Moments later, her brown eyes lit up in recollection and she smiled, pale teeth showing beneath her lips. "Of course! It gets a little boring wandering around without a human companion sometimes." Hearing a indignant snort, Melody sent the dog on the mattress her million dollar smile. "You know I still love you, Dogmeat."

"I'm headed towards a town named Megaton," Melody informed Sakura, still immobile from her spot leaning against the beam of the doorway. "I need to go there and get some supplies before I wander off again..." She paused. "Well, _we _wander off, anyway. But you're going to need some training first."

"Training?" _But I've been training all my life!_

"I'm not sure what kind of training you had in... your childhood, but I know for a fact that this place will be too foreign for you to adapt in time." The stained-haired girl explained, crossing her arms as she leaned further into the beam. "The Wasteland is brutal; if you are hesitant to do something to survive, it'll eat you alive. There are... horrifying things you probably haven't seen in your life yet." Melody growled, glancing off to the side.

"..." The pinkette flickered her eyes to the slumbering dog, his differently colored eyes closed as his tail wagged slightly in his dreams, probably in a fantasy where meat and love from his master were abundant. Smiling, Sakura pondered slightly about what it would be like to be a canine for a day... Though, she could always find out through a henge.

"We'll start in the morning," Melody sighed after a couple moments of silence, propping herself off the beam and strolling out into the other room. Pivoting on her heel, she grasped the metal door with her rag-covered hands and stared at her momentarily. "Good night."

"...Night." Sakura mumbled a little too late as the door closed with a loud shriek. She exhaled and wrapped herself tightly with the covers the girl had thrown at her before closing the door, slumping into the lumpy, slightly dirty mattress.

Did Tsunade find out that she wasn't in Konoha anymore? Has she sent out trackers and other searching teams yet, or is she still in her office, chugging down her sake? Based on what she knew, the pinkette thought that she was only here for a day so far... two at the most. It was still a little early for her to send out searching teams - since it took about a week or two for someone to be reported missing - so all she could do was have faith that somehow she would find her way home. Sighing, she shut her eyes when Melody sucked in a breath and blew out the lamp from the other side of the shack, emersing her in darkness.

_I wanna go home..._

She shut her eyes and relaxed her body - slowing her heart rate and emptying her mind. She welcomed the sensation of heavy sleep creeping on her, and soon enough the creases in her forehead were gone as she nodded off.

Sakura never noticed Melody's chakra signature right outside her door, the girl's eyes hard while she clenched her hands into fists.

.

_In her dreams... she dreamed a fairly pleasant dream._

_There was Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi all at the front of the village gates, eyes soft with warm emotions and a hint of a smile on each of their lips. They were jostling each other, silently talking to each other through their intense eyes, and laughing carelessly. All of them stood a ways away from her, barely a blot in the background of the Leaf Village and towering canopies of the trees._

_The pinkette beamed at the happy scene and rushed over to them, desiring to be a part of them._

_She huffed and dashed full speed towards them. She ran and ran and ran. _

_Soon enough, she became tired and slumped slightly to catch her breath._

_Peering up towards their direction, she noticed bleakly how they were the same distance away from her as before._

_Eventually, the pleasant dream became a twisted nightmare that reflected her fears._

_Sakura began to pant with tears burning in her emerald eyes._

_She watched as they walked away from her into the village, all of them chatting - of course, with their personalities in order - as they turned their backs on her._

_Emerald eyes widened as the gates slowly began to close, and Sakura felt her limbs break free from the harness that had ensnared her whole body. Immediately she raced forward as the blonde's figure was the first to go._

It was always like this...

_Her feet skid across the dusty floor as she inhaled, breathing shallowly in panic, fearing that she wouldn't get there in time. Just as her legs cried out in fatigue, Kakashi's form was the next to go, blending into the shadows of the narrowing passageway to her home._

They got stronger, moved forward, leaving her weak...

_She tried to scream, but her voice failed her. Eyes wide, she stared at the form of the only boy that managed to steal her heart - he was the one that she definitely would not let go. Chakra flared into her limbs and she was soon soaring above the ground to reach them. Yes! She was almost there. She could make it!_

_As fate would have it, a force tugged her leg and made her trip gracelessly into the dirty floor. She gasped and struggled, but the fight only sucked energy out of her body. Whimpering, she stared at Sasuke's back, his Uchiha symbol laid out for all eyes to see, pleading for him to take note of her and rescue her._

_He must have heard her inwardly or felt her eyes, but either of them had him halting in his tracks midstep. Inclining his head to the right a little, he turned around, and all the pinkette could see were swirling rubies that left her breathless._

_They held their eye contact unwaveringly till the gates swallowed him whole._

And unknowingly abandoned her.

_And she cried her heart out._

_For her fears had come true._

.

She awoke with a start, chest tight with overwhelming emotions with her gut packed with a sinking sensation. Swallowing hard, the pinkette inwardly sighed as she slumped farther into the mattress, fatigue overcoming her emotionality. Sakura didn't know why of all times she would have a dream like that. Perhaps it was the stress of wandering in an unknown land or her last thoughts being about her teammates and her history with them. She blinked sluggishly and squinted into the dark, noting how it was nearly pitch black. The fire that Melody had set up possibly hours ago was now completely gone, not even a sliver of embers strong enough to present light in the darkness.

What bothered her, though, was the white noise. As cliche as it sounded, it was a little too quiet.

Sakura shook it off, thinking of it as her paranoia creeping onto her. Melody seemed like a trustworthy person... at least, so far. Even if she wasn't, Sakura could take her down easily with the energy she had recovered.

Just as sleep settled into her system and consciousness was ready to leave her, a nearly inaudible click had her green eyes snap open instinctively.

There was another person in her room, right above her... holding an object - possibly a weapon to her head. Their clothes quietly rustled as they leaned closer, the thing grazing her temple coldly and solidly.

The pinkette made sure that her body language gave nothing away. Then, the next action happened with two seconds. She swiftly faced the enemy, lashing out with her open palm and smacking the weapon out of their hands as it clattered onto the floor. The person grunted as the pinkette wound her foot on the inside of their body and hooked her heel with theirs. Instantly, the figure yelped out in surprise as they went down flailing on their stomach, allowing Sakura to grip one arm behind their back with the other hanging uselessly at their side.

From the other room, Dogmeat began to bark loudly with his claws ticking on the floor in anticipation as he dashed around the room, sensing the action. The kunoichi squinted as her eyes adjusted to the dark to catch a better glimpse of their face.

"You?" She gasped in disbelief.

.

_Ohohoo, who's the mystery person?_

_...Well, it shouldn't be so surprising. xD_

_So sorry if it disappoints you in the next chapter._

_This chapter was a little slow moving, but that's just to create a tempo for the story. Don't wanna jump right into the action :3_

_THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO REVIEWED! :D I will keep your words in mind. And I'm glad most of you were happy with my OC Melody, haha._

_I'll try to update ASAP!_

_See you in the next chapter!_

_~CiiCiinREX._

_(btw, will my ovaries be radiated if I keep my laptop on my lap too long? o.o xD)_


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